NFL Schedule Release: Houston Texans Get 5 Prime-Time Games

During a season in which the Houston Texans were one of the AFC's best, division champions and Super Bowl contenders, they did not receive much attention from the media. They were thrown aside as if they were one of the league's worst, not one of the up-and-coming teams in the league. 

The Texans received one prime-time game last season against the lowly Colts, mainly due to their lackluster performance in the year before. Now, a year after making a statement in the NFL, the Texans' schedule reflects the type of quality team they are.

The Texans have received two Monday night games, two Sunday night games and a Thanksgiving game. In their two Monday Night Football games, the Texans will square off against the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. 

In the two Sunday night games, the Texans will battle with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Finally, on Thanksgiving, the Texans' opponent will be the Chicago Bears.

Although the Texans are stocked with talent, these prime-time games will be very tough matchups for them. Four of the games will be on the road, save the Sunday nighter vs. the Packers, and they are all against extremely tough teams. 

In order for the Texans to win all of their nationally televised games, they will have to play to the best of their abilities, and their offense and defense must be clicking on all cylinders for them to come away with victories. 

Against the Packers, the Texans will have to show the league that their offense is capable of being just as good as their vaunted the defense. Few if any defenses can stop Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, and it is highly unlikely the Texans D will be able to do so, barring an incredible performance. Arian Foster and the offensive line will have to control the flow of the game on the ground, keeping Rodgers off the field for as long as possible. 

The game against the Patriots is similar to the aforementioned one versus the Packers. The Texans' offense will have to play one of their its games of the season, and the pass rush must find a way to hit Tom Brady early and often.

The Texans' Monday Night Football game against the Jets appears to be much easier than the rest of their prime-time matchups. The Jets' rush defense struggled a lot last year, and they lost many games because of their inability to stop the run. The strongest part of the Texans offense is the rushing attack, and they should be able to run all over the Jets. The Texans D should also be able to smother the struggling quarterback in Mark Sanchez.

The games against the Lions and Bears will be very similar. If the Texans are to come away with victories in any of those games, their defense must control the game. The Lions can score at will if Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson are clicking, and the Texans must find a way to shut them down in order to get a W. Against the Bears, the Texans will go play an extremely tough defense capable of containing any offense in the NFL. In order for the Texans to win this one, their defense must outplay the Bears'.

The 2012-13 should be a very exciting season for the Houston Texans and their fans, as this is the first time in history that they will receive so much attention from the media. The Texans will have the opportunity this season to prove to the NFL and its fans that they are a force to contend with and that they are extremely capable of becoming one of the NFL's elite.